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Topic: 2003 Stanley Cup Playoffs / NHL news (Read 21450 times)

For the first time in over 10 years the Playoffs are back in Minnesota and I can't be more excited. The North Stars run back in 1991 was one of the funnest sports memories of my youth. HEre are the teams:

Me thinks your right. It will be a good game though. 5 or 6 games that is. When the Oil get into the playoffs, there lucky to make second round. They had there dynasty yrs. As long as Vancouver chokes, I'm happy.

I used to be a big Jets fan (Teemu Sellane!) but when they moved to Phoenix I pretty much gave up on Hockey. But I'll give my props out to the Avalanche...gotta watch out for Roy in the playoffs, the man is a stud in the crease

The Jets...there is a name I haven't heard in a long time. They were always one of my favorite teams on NHL Hockey for Genesis. I must have played 10000 games of it in college. That equals around 10,000 cans of beer as well...anyway Sellane was a stud on there along with Phil Housley and Zhamnov and then Keith Tkachuk

Prior to leaving, they were on the verge of being an amazing team, especially when you could get Zhamnov playing. Probably the critical element you forgot Scott is Nikolai Khabibulin who started his career in Winterpeg. They were all too young at the same time, but had they been kept together, they would have been frightening. I still say they made a mistake when they traded Selanne rather than Zhamnov or Tkachuk.

Selanne is still my favorite player. Just an all around classy guy. 3 years into his career, his and Tkachuk's contracts came up at the same time. Tkachuck stayed home in what appeared to be the early years of a perpetual snit. Selanne showed up at training camp without a contract. Stupid in the sense of injury and end of career, but utterly and completely classy. He just wanted to play hockey and do so for the people in Winnipeg. There are rumours that the chase piece in the McFarlane series NHL6 will have Selanne in a Jets jersey. I guarantee you, no matter the price, I will win the first one offered on ebay.

Prior to that though, there was a year in which the Oilers, Jets and Flames, all in the same division, finished 1-2-3 in the league. Jets beat the Flames in the quarters (IIRC) and then the Oilers, Cup champs that year (again) beat the Jets in the divisional final. Tragic.

Winnipeg Arena was a horrible place but it was beyond a shadow of a doubt the loudest arena in the NHL come playoff time. The whiteout originated there and nobody did it better.

I'm guessing an Ottawa-Detroit final as well, with the Wings winning (unfortunately). Jersey and Dallas should have a good shot too with Colorado on the outside, though they played extremely well to end the season. Dallas-Edmonchuk should be a bloody brawl. No offense to the battle of Alberta, but that is where a true playoff rivalry exists now.